wired/wireless headset mic

[buggyboy]

One more question, how quickly can you remove a double ear headet mic?

[waynehoskins]

Originally Posted by buggyboy

3. (Just for curiosity's sake, what is the cheapest beltpack with an external mute port? )

The only one I've seen, at least that I recall, is AKG's WMS450. The local theatre has a couple of those. They have a 3/32" jack on the side for that. I dislike them because you have to remove the bypassing plug to turn them off, but that might work perfectly for you.

For selecting a frequency, I use Sennheiser's Frequency Finder web tool. Give it your zipcode and a couple of parameters and it'll show you which TV channels are usable, as well as the expected signal strength from those TV stations (a more negative number is better). Looks like you have three good candidates: 482-488 (vacant, a land mobile guard channel), 596-602 (WSPY-LD, 83 dB protection), 638-644 (vacant). The recommendation from FCC is to use the first vacant channel each side of the radioastronomy allocation first, but who knows how long 638-644 will remain vacant; if it becomes occupied, your next best choice is (at least in Sennheiser world) in another bandsplit, though there are a couple of possibly-usable options nearby if you dial in more expected building attenuation.

I got pricing on the AT 2000 and 3000 from a local dealer a while back, considering them for a school (they turned out to be a poor choice for that application). It was either about $200/300 or $300/400. Since the 2000 series only has a small number of preset frequencies you can choose from, and pretty limited bandsplits from what I recall, I'd say that's a poor choice in a metro area, though it could be an excellent budget option in a rural area with many vacant TV channels to pick from.

[Frank DeWitt]

Thanks for the concrete recommendation Wayne.
1. Do you know of a good resource for determining the best frequency in my area (60476, south of chicago)?

2. My first round of googling wasn't conclusive regarding price on the at-3000 or 2000... can you give a good/average/high cost range? (receiver and 1 beltpack)

I bought new AT 3000 last week for $260 with free shipping

3. (Just for curiosity's sake, what is the cheapest beltpack with an external mute port? )
Don't know but here it is for the 3000
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/ac...1ca/index.html

And / or
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/re...ms1_submit.pdf

[Tim Padrick]

Buy from a local rental house who's a dealer, and who can do frequency coordination for you.

[pianomandan]

I use a beta 54 that came with a wireless body pak, but I picked up a mini 3-prong to XLR converter & have it hardwired in. I use it at a piano, so I don't move. I love the headworn mic, as it follows my mouth as my head turns.

Also, I have it wired through a cough drop (momentary mute foot pedal), so I can turn myself off if / when needed.

You can do the same thing with a Countryman, or most any other headworn that's "intended" to be wireless... just get a converter and plug it into a wire instead of a body pak.

[buggyboy]

Thanks Dan,

Can you comment on which mute switch you use... and how well (read: no pop, click) it does the muting job?

To use a footswitch I'd have to think of someway to reroute the mic cable. He would trip over it if it went from the mic, to the mute near his foot, to the jack.